Printing mechanism.



F. G. JAHN.

PRINTING MECHANISM. APPLIOATION IILED AUG. 2, 1909.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

6 HEETS-SHEET 1.

I 3 me who;

F. G. .TAHN.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1900'. I

1,018,060. Patented Feb.20, 1912. i

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Q00 Rm; EN N N i Q/QXVWQOOQO I I 8 14/00 wto-z w. A? m MZM @M F. G. JAHN.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1909.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

8 VII/U12 mic c 7 wi/imeooeo: Ma -M P. G. JAHN.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1909.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Killin wilmeooeo 3 vwc wfo-z @x f cwd GM F. G. JAHN. PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2. 1909. 1,018,060. Patented Feb-20,1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

XIII

wi/bmcoaco: I w. Edam/ fi mw J. 64% C? M F. G. JAHN.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1909.

Patented .*eb.20,191"2.

6 SHEETS-SHBET 6.

5 m; a IMO I NE/ me ooeo W. /P. M, 64ml? 0. M

UNITE STATES LLPHATENT OFF1CE.

FREDERICK G. JAHN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL POSTAL SUPPLY COMPANY OF NEW YORK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

Application filed August 2, 1909. Serial No. 510,876.

To on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. JAHN, a

citizen of the United States; and a resident of the borough ,of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand city and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

'My invention relates to that class of printing mechanism in which the sheets or other articles that are to receive the imprints or impressions are supplied in masses or in quantities and the individuals thereof are successively selected out one after another and fed forward to the devices by which the desired. imprints or other impressions are fgrmed upon them; the objects of the invention being, to provide a machine of this character, which, While adapted to operate on diflerent sizes and varietles of materials,

- and capable of a wide range in the character and quantity of matter to be imprinted or otherwise impressed by it, shall be provided with a simple and e cient mechanism by which the single sh s or other articles may be fed forward one at a time in succession from a mass or stack, and the machine, at the same time, be not only greatly improved and'simplified in'its construction -and mode of operation, but rendered automatic throughout. To these ends, the invention consists 1n certain peculiarities of construction and combinations of parts, of which the embodiment preferred in practice will first be described, and the distinguishing features of the invention then pointed out in the subjoined' claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1, is a side elevation of a printing mechg anism constructed in accordance with my invention Fig. 2, a transverse section thereof taken in the line 2, 2, of Fig. 1,-and looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in that figure; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the mechanism taken on the line 3, 3, in Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in that figure; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation on a smaller scale of the transversely adjustable paper guide; Fig. 5, an elevation of a portion of the delivery end of the mechanism, looking inthe direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a transverse section of the type rollerv or printing member taken on the tion of the arrow 6 in the latter figure; Fig. 7 a longitudinal section of such type roller or printing member taken on the line 7, 7, of Fig. 6, and looking in the direction of the arrow 7 in' this last mentioned figure; Fig. 8, a longitudinal sectional elevation of a portion of the machine taken on the line 8, 8, of Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrow 8 in that figure, with the printing and impression members and various other parts shown in elevation; Fig. 9, atransverse section taken on the line 9 in Fig. 8, and looking in the direction of the arrow 9 in that figure,

with various of the parts shown in eleva-,

tion; Fig. 10, a side elevation of a portion of the operative parts of the mechanism in a slightly different position from that occupied bythem in Fig. 1, the side frame being omitted and parts shown in section; Fig. 11, a transverse section taken on the line 11 of Fig. 10, and looking in the direcvtion of the arrow 11 in that figure; Fig. 12, a section of the parts' shown in Fig. 11 taken on the line 12 in that figure; Fig. 13, a section of the impression roller supporting-framepivot taken on the line 13 in Fig. 10, and looking in the direction of the arrow 13 in that figure; Fig. 14, a transverse sectional elevation on the line 14, 14, of Fig. 15

line 6, 6, of 7 and looking in the direclooking in the direction of the a row 14 in "of a printing mechanism of a slightly modified construction and Fig. 19 is a sectional fragment of the cam by which the feeding mechanism isoperated, showing the slidable bolt by. which the operating hand-wheel is engaged therewith in side elevation.

In all the figures, like letters of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts.

A and A indicate the main housings in and upon which the various parts of the 'machine are supported and operated. These housings may be constructed in various formsand adapted to either standdirectly upon the floor or to rest upon a bench or table as may be preferred, it only being esscrews a, ,or otherwise, whereby to form a firm and rigid structure. Within the housings as thus otherwise constructed is arranged the mechanism by means of which i the required imprint or other impression is formed upon the sheets or other articles as they are successively passed through it on their way through the machine. In the construction of this imprinting mechanism any of the ordinary or well known forms may be adopted. It is preferred however to employ for this purpose a rotating printing member B, and a cooperating impression member G, which, in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, are severally constructed in cylindrical form and of a length t6 extend throughout'only a portion of the width of the machine, whereby to be capable of a transverse adjustment therein to bring their imprint or impression at any required place throughout the width of the sheets or other articles that may be desired.

As thus constructed, the printing member B is adjustably supported upon a shaft 6, which is journaled at its ends in suitable bearings 72 formed in or secured to the side frame A; while the impression member C is adjustably supported upon a shaft 0, that is likewise journaled in bearings 0 formed in or otherwise secured to the rock-frame D, which, in its turn, is conveniently journaled on center-pins (Z that are adjustably secured in arms 6?, extending outward laterally of the body of the frame, and engaging at their outer pointed ends with correspondingly shaped recesses d formed in or se-' cured to the side frame A, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 13. "With the-printing and impression members thus mounted, the peripheral surface of the printing member B may be adapted to receive and carry any of the ordinary or appropriate means for marking or impressing the sheets or other articles to be operated upon, such, for instance, as type, or stereotype blocks or both; and the im pression member C is normally held yieldingly pressed toward and against the print ing member 13 by a spring pressed rod (i which, bearing at its upper end against the under side of the rock-frame D and guided at its lower end in a bearing cl secured to the main frame A, is encircled by its cooperating spring al that bears at its lower end against the bearing d and is regulated in its tension by a thumb-nut (Z which is threaded upon the rod (Z and serves as an abutment for the upper end of the springsee Fig. 1.

In some instances the cylindrical printing member B may be constructed from a single block or blank properly fashioned to suit it to its intended use. In the specific form of the invention shown in the drawings however, it is built up from a number of sections, and, when thus constructed, it is preferably composed of a hollow cylindrical body portion 6 with a pair of heads Z7 and b firmly clamped against its opposite ends by screws 5 which pass through one of the heads, as, for instance, through the head 6 and are threaded at their opposite ends in the other head, as, for instance, in the head I), as shown more particularly in Fig 6. With the printing member constructed as thus explained, its'peripheral surface may be formed to suit it to receive the various marking or impression-forming devices that may be employed upon it. In the drawings however, it is shown as formed with a number of grooves bf, extending longitudinally of it, for the reception of movable types I), which may be firmly clamped therein by clamping screws 6 passing through the head 6 and acting at their inner ends directly against the type, or through the intermediary of blocks 6 with the blocks and type firmly clamped inward against the bottom of the grooves by an encircling ring 6 With the periphery of the member thus provided with grooves b, it is also equipped with longitudinally arranged shoulders I) for use in clamping engraved or other plates, as, for instance, the plates l), thereto, which may be accomplished through the intervention of flexible strips 6 the outer overturned. end of one of which engaging directly with one of these shoulders, and the overturned outer end of the other engaging with the other shoulder, through the intermediary of a clamping screw 6.

TWhile the adaptation of the peripheral surface of the printing member, as thus explained, is suited to receive and carry the marking or impression devices shown, it is to be understood that this is merely illustrative, and that other adaptations thereof to suit it to other forms of imprinting or impression devices may be employed when desired; but, whatever this adaptation of the surface may be however, the portions of the heads 6 and 6* that extend outward beyond the peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 5 will be made of a height equal to that of the type or other impressiona hub 72, which is for forming devices, whereby to bear with them against the periphery of the impression member C, and aid them thereby in feedingforward the sheets orother articles oper ated. upon, as they are passed between them and the impression member. In being thus constructed, the adjustable securement of the printing member B to its carrying shaft 1), While capable of accomplishment through various means, is preferably efiected through rmed upon the outer side of the head 6 and, provided with longitudinal slits b in its body-portion, whereby to be rendered compressible upon the shaft, is embraced by a ring or collar 6 that is provided with a clamping screw 1", passing radially through it. As thus equipped, the clamping of the printing member to the shaft, when it is desired to secure it thereto, 'or its unclamping therefrom, when it is desired to release it from the shaft, is effected by simply turning the screw b in one direction or the other, as the clamping of the member to, or its unclamping from, the shaft is required. The adjustable sec'urement of the impression member'C to its carrying shaft omay, in-

like manner, be-efiected by similar means. Vhen thus accomplished the impression member is provided with a longitudinally slitted hub 0 extending outward from one of its ends, and has cooperating with it an encircling ring or collar 0 through which is radially threaded an appropriate clamping screw 0*, whereby, by turning said screw in the required direction, the securement of the member to its carrying shaft or its release therefrom is effected, as is the case with the printing member B when its cooperating clamping screw b" is correspondingly operated. With the printing and impression members thus secured to their respective carrying shafts, their rotation in unison is preferably effected through the medium of intermeshing spur-gears B and G which are respectively secured to the shafts b and c, and are so proportioned with respect to each other as to impart substantially the same surface velocity to each.

The printing and impression members being thus arranged and operating, the sheets or other articles to be acted upon are con-' venientlysupplied tothe machine in mass or in quantities and are fed forward one after another to them in succession. The means for receiving and feeding forward these sheets or other articles to the printing and impression members may be embodied in a variety of forms. In the drawings however it is shown as consisting of a number of endless bands E and E and a cooperating table top or plate E Of these, the bands are preferably constructed of comparatively soft rubber,-0r other similar elastic material that is capable of an adhesive frictional contact with the sheets or other grooved pulleys 6 while the table top or plate E extends transversely of the machine at the rear end thereof and is connected at its opposite ends to the side frames A by screws or otherwise. As thus employed, the pulleys 6, e and e are respectively secured to transversely disposed shafts e e, and e, which are journaled at their opposite ends in suitable bearings formed in. or secured to the side-frames A, with the shaft 6 arranged in close relationship to the printing and impression members 13, C, the shaft e 211;- ranged near the forward end of the table top or plate E and the shaft 6 disposed intermediate the pulleys e and e whereby to forum-with the bands and the top or plate E a practically continuous plane horizontal support for the sheets or other articles to beoperated upon when deposited in mass or otherwise upon it.

With the supporting devices thus constructed, the feeding of the sheets or other articles deposited upon them to the printing and impression members is effected by the forward movement of the endless bands E and E Instead however of being continuous, this forward movement of the bands, in the form of the invention shown in the drawings, is of the intermittent progressive kind, and is preferably communicated to them through an oscillating arm F, which, pivoted at one of its ends upon a stud f extending outward from one of the side-frames, is constructed at its other end with a tooth-segment f that is adapted to intermesh with a tooth-pinion f mounted upon the end of the shaft 6 to which the groovedpulleys e that carry and move such bands are secured. As thus constructed and arranged, the oscillation of the arm F in one direction, to cause the feeding movement of the sheets or other articles toward the printing and impression members, is effected from a cam F which,.rotatively mounted upon a stud f projecting outward from one of.the side-frames A, acts upon this arm F, through the intervention of a friction roller f with which one of the sides of the arm is provided see Fig. 2. In being thus oscillated in one direction the movement of this arm F in the opposite direction may be accomplished in a variety of ways. It s preferred however to effect its return oscillation by a supplementary arm F which, fixedly secured to or formed in one piece with the arm F, is likewise pro-' vided on one of its sides with a friction roller i wit-h which the periphery of the arm F, the pinion 7, instead of being fixedly secured to the shaft 0 is so mounted there I onthat when moved in one direction by the arm, as, for instance, in the direction to feed the sheets or other articles toward the printing and impression members,,it will be fast upon that shaft, and when turned backward thereby in the opposite direction clutch member h, as shown.

it will be released therefrom. To permit of this being accomplished, the connection of the pinion f with the shaft 6 is effected through a clutch, which, in the preferred constructionsee Figs. 14 and 15consists of a flanged member 72, fixedly secured to such shaft, and of a cooperatin member h which is formed upon or fixedly secured to the inner end of the hub of the pinion f and is provided on its periphery with a plurality of flat faces ,h with rolls 7L interposed between these faces and the interior of the laterally extending flange of the As thus connected, whenever the pinion f is rotated forwardly by the downward movement of the arm F, the rolls 7L will roll upward along their respective flat faces 7L2 of the clutch member k into engagement with the flan e on the clutch member h, and thereby firm ly clutch these two members together, so that, in the further movement of the pinion f the bands E and E will be moved in the required feeding direct-ion. On the other hand, whenever this pinion f is rotated in an opposite or backward direction by the upward movement of the arm F, then the rolls it will roll downward along their respective flat faces h and the unclutching of the two cooperating members is thereby etfected, with the result that the further movement of these bands will be discontinued.

While the intermittent movement of the bands E and E is thus efl'ected from the arm F, the construction through which this movement is accomplished is such as to render the forward movement of these bands entirely free of their actuating devices during the intervals between their successive forward feeding impulses, whereby they are left unrestrained to be moved forward by the pull of the sheets or other articles undergoing the printing or impressing operation upon them during the continued advance of the latter, while they, at the same time yet serve as a drag upon them. While the feeding of the sheets or other articles to the or plate E oiaceo printing and impression members is thus efiected, the fixed alinement of the sheets, when deposited upon the endless bands'and upon the table top or plate E is insured and their guidance 1n approximately a straight line, when fed forward, 'accompllshed by two side-guides H and H Of these, the guide H is fixedly secured in close relationship to the innerside of the front side frame A by screws h", passing through an outwardly turned flange b on the rear end of the guide, and entering the table top while the guide H is adjustably secured to the top or plate by a clamp h, to which the guide is secured by screws if, and which is adapted to be clamped upon the top or plate E by a suitable screw h".

As thus employed, the guide H will serve as a fixed abutment against which the sheets or other articles to be operated upon will be deposited, with one of their longitudinal side edges resting against it, while the guide H will serve as an abutment to the lother suit it to the width of the sheets or other articles that are to be operated upon, be ing held in any position to which it may be. adjusted by its clamp h and screw h In being thus guided the segregation of the successive individual sheets or other articles, one after another, from the bottom of the mass or quantity supplied to the machine and fed forward by the bands E and E is effected by the conjoint action of the separator or wiper I and a holder K. To permit of their accomplishing this result, the separator or wiper is preferably constructed in the form of a strip of comparatively soft rubber, or other similar material that will exert a frictional adhesive action upon the sheets or other art-iclespassed beneath it. and is supported immediately over the shaft 0 by its holder K, with the general direction ofits length at an angle to the plane of the feeding surface of the band, which, in the form of the invention selected for purposes of illustration, is approximately a right angle, as shown more particularly in Figs. 8 and'9. Asthusarranged, this separator or wiper, when no sheet or other article is being fed forward, rests at its lower end upon the endless band E which, instead of being made of circular form incross-section, as-

is the case with the bands E, is constructed as a flat strip of a width somewhat greater than that of the separator or wiper whereby to form not only a wide SUPPOIK. and feeding surface for the sheets or otner articles at the point at which. they are pre sented tn the action of the separator or wiper and its holder, but also a similar wide level surface upon which the separator or wip er-and its holder may themselves opcrate.

longitudinal side edge thereof, and willbe "ad uSted toward or from the guide H, to

For carrying and support-ing the separator or wiper I in its required position, the

holder K may be constructed in a variety It is preferred however to conthis holder K, as with the separator or wiper I, rests, when no sheet or otherarticle is being passed beneath it, upon the endless band E by the action of gravity, with its plane flat bottom disposed in substantially parallel relationship thereto, and is yieldingly held in that position and guided in its vertical movement by. a pair of guidepins 7,2 which depend from the under side of the carrier la and enter suitable holes or sockets k formed in it. WVith the holder K thus supported and guided, the carrier is adjustably secured upon a shaft K which extends transversely across the machine and is secureel at its opposite ends in the sideframe A, with the secur'ement of the carrier 73* thereto effected through the intervention of a screw is which engages at its reduced inner end with a slot k formed longitudinally in the shaft, whereby to permit of the adjustment of the separator or wiper and its holder transversely of the machine when required, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8. In beingthus supported and carried by the holder K an even and constant downward pressure is exerted against the separator or wiper I,

by one or more weights 6, acting upon and carried by a follower 2' which is guided vertically in a guide-way 2' formed in the carrier 2 with its lower end loosely fitting the guide-way 7: in the holder K and pressing against the upper end of the separator or wiper wholly independent of the holder K.

As thus operated the wear of the separator or wiperis continually being compensated for and the strip of which it is composed is free to yield, as is the holder, to independently accommodate themselves to changes in the thickness of the sheets or other articles being fed beneath them.

lVhile the separator or wiper and its holder are thus capable of this yielding action, the

strip of which the separator or wiper is formed is sufli'ciently yielding in itself as not to withhold the forward vmovement ofthe single sheet or other article which is in sur-. face contact with the underlying widefeeding band E but is only sufficiently active to obstruct the simultaneous forward movement of the succeeding sheet or sheets-or other article or articles until the rear end of the first sheet or other article has passed beyond it, when the leading end of the next succeeding sheet or other article, being then in surface contact with the wide feeding band,

will, under the forwarding influence thereof, overcome the obstructions previously afforded by the separator 9r wiper and its carrier and be properly advanced by the endless feeding bands, while said separator,

or wiper continues to act through its adhesive qualities to withhold for the time being the movement of the next or succeeding sheet or other article and so on. Moreover, in thus operating, the separator or wiper and the endless feeding bands are aided in efiecting' the segregation and feeding forward of the successive sheets or other articles, not only by the gravity of the holder K bearing the underlying sheets or other articles downward against the endless feeding bands E with the requisite pressure to compel it to partake of the forward wardly and inwardly inclined rear face 70 which, while restraining the forward movement of such of the sheets or other articles as are not being acted upon by said feeding band and separator or wiper, tendsto force their forward ends downward toward. the point of their successive deliveries between those .dev-ices.

With the segregation and feeding forcles to the printing and impression members thus accomplished, and with the impression member C normally pressed into contact with the printing member B by the spring .movement thereof, butalso by its down- -ward of the successive sheets or other arti- 0F acting through the rock-frame D, as before explained, the printing or marking of the required matter or other symbols upon them will be effected by passing them.onward between those -members. In order however to provide for withdrawing the impression member C from contact with-the printing member B when no sheets or other articles have been presented or entered between them, a cam L is employed, which, fixedly secured to the shaft 7). whereby to rotatein unison with the printing member B, is constructed with two concentric segmental cam surfaces Z and Z of different radii, and codperates with the swingingframe D, through appropriate connecting devices, whereby to cause it to swing downward on its pivot when the impression member is to be-carried away from, and out of contact with, the printing member, while yet permitting of its return when the contact of this impression member therewith is to be restored.

' The means through which the'connection e of various of a strut Mand a swinging arm N. Of

these, the strut M is preferably constructed in plate form, of the proper length and breadth to suit it to its intended use, and is looselysupported in a groove or recess d,

formed transversely of the machine in the cillating arm F is jointed, and, extending outwardly therefrom over the rock-frame D,

i is provided in the under side of its outer free end, in a, position approximately over the groove or recess d, with a notch or re cess n for-reception of the upper edge of the strut when the latter is standing in its vertical or upright position, and isalso equipped upon its side with a friction roller n for contact with the cam surfaces Z and Z in which it is maintained by a rectractile spring 41?, which, connected at one .of its ends to the arm, is connected at its other end to a stud n arranged above and extending inward from the side frame A. As thus arranged and organized and the strut occupying its vertical or upright position, when ever, in the rotation of the cam L, the cam surface Z is carried over and into contact with the. friction roller oi the swinging downward of the arm N thereby will be effected, causing through the strut M a similar downward swinging movement of the roclnframe D, with the result that the impression member C, carried by it, will be forced out of contact with the printing member B. In the positions to which they have thus been moved the various parts will remain until in the rotation of the cam L and printing member B, the surface Z is passed from over the friction roller n and the surface Z is brought into contact with it, when, under the impulses of their respective springs 65 and vi the rock-frame D and the rock-arm N will be swungupward,

and theimpression member thereby carried into contact with the printing member l3.

' With the strut M still occupying its vertical position, and the rotation of the cam L with the printing member B continued until the cam surface Z is again brought into contact with the friction roller 01 the swinging downward of both the frame D and the arm N a second time will be effected and the impression member C again carried outof contact with the printing member-B, and so on, these movements of the parts,

and the carrying of the impression roller toward and away from the printing member, being continued so long as the machine is in operation and the strut occupiesits vertical position. When, on the other hand, the impression member is in contact with the printing member, and the strut M, instead of occupying its vertical, position is swung backward therefrom, then, in place of the rock frame D being swung upward and downward by the action of the cam L, these swinging movements will be confined to the rocloarm N alone, and no movement of the rock-frame D will be effected therefrom.

. In thus operating, as will be seen, the withdrawal of the impression member from the printing memberand its contact therewith is wholly determined by the positions occupied by the strut M, the withdrawal of the impression member from the printing member being effected when it occupies a vertical position, and its contact therewith left undisturbed when resting in its backwardinclined relationship.

For tilting the strut M from its vertical to its backward inclined position, when the impression member C is to remain in contact I with the printing member B, I make use of the sheets or other articles that are successively fed forward from the selecting devices to the printing and impression members. To permit of their accomplishing this result, the strut M, when in its vertical position, extends directly across their path of movement in traveling forward from the selecting devices to and between the printing and impression members, as shown at w in Fig. 8, whereby in traveling from the former to the latter their forward end contacts directly with it and causes its tilting from the vertical to a backwardly inclined position, as shown in Figs. 8 and 10. In order therefore to relieve the gripping action of the roclnarm N upon the strut M at or slightly before the'time that each sheet or other articles contacts with it, and thereby leave it free to be tilted with a minimum of resistance and for its subsequent return to a vertical or upright position, the difference in the radii of the two concentric segmental cam surfaces Z and Z is slightly greater than that of the travel of the impression roller in moving from its withdrawn position to that in which it is carried into contact with the printing member, whereby, after the contact of the impression roller with such printing member a slight upward movement of the rock-arm Nto carry its notch or recess n: out of engagement with the upper edge of the strut and above the position occupied by it when the strut is in its vertical position, will be effected under the influence of its retractile spring 11 While the tilting of the strut M from its vertical to its backwardly inclined position is thus effected by the action of the successive sheets or other articles upon it, its return to its vertical position after having been tilted therefrom may be accomplished in various ways. ltis preferred however to accomplish the result from astud m, which is carried by an oscillating arm F and cooperates with an upwardly and this stud m is constructed in the form of a crank that is secured to the inner end of a shaft m rotatively mounted in the arm F,

with the crank-like portion thereof projecting inward from its inner side to the proper distance to bring it into position to engage with the strut M when carried past it.

In being thus mounted, the stud m, and the shaft m upon which it is formed, are capable of rotation in the arm F, whereby to permit'of the stud being brought into position to engage with the strut when the arm F is moving in one direction, and of its be ing carried out of such position when the arm is moved in the opposite direction. In its normal position this stud m is preferably held out of engagement Twit-h the strut M by a spring m which, connected at one of its ends with an arm m extending upward from the shaft m is secured at its other end to a pin on projecting inward from ends with an arm m extending upward dotted and full lines in Figs. 1 and 16.

With the stud m thus normally held in an inoperative'position, its removal therefrom to carry it into'operative relationship tothe strut M is effected by abolt m, which projects outward from the face of the cam 1F and cooperates with the arm m that is fiX- cdlysecured at one of its ends to the shaft m and extends upwardly therefrom into the path of travel of the bolt m As thus arranged, the stud m, wh'ile normally held in a position that prevents its engagement with the strut M, when carried past it by the oscillation of the arm F, is rotated into a position that will render it operative thereon whenever the bolt m engages with the arm m; and in order to provide for the engagement of this bolt m with the arm m only when the former is moving in the proper direction and permit of its travel in an opposite direction without engaging therewith should it for any reason be moved in this latter direction, this bolt m ispreferably constructed with an inclined outer end, and instead of beingfixedly secured in the cam F it is loosely mounted therein and is held protruded therethrough by a spring m which fixedly secured at one end to the inner end of the bolt m, is connected at its other with a cam F In being thus mounted and operated the movement of the stud m from its inoperative to its operative position is only-effected when the cam F is rotated in the proper direction while its movement from such inoperative position is prevented, when the cam by accident or otherwise is rotated in the opposite direction, by the withdrawal of the bolt m into the cam F athrough the actionv of the inclined end of t.

the boltupon the arm m as this inclined end rides over it. While being thus tilted from its vertical to its rearwardly inclined position, and thence backwardly to that' from which it was tilted, the strut M is held from accidental dislodgment by a light retractile spring m", which is so connected with the strut' and the rock-frame D as to maintain the former firmly seated in the groove or recess d in whatever position it may 00- cupy, and, at the same time, permit of its free and unrestrained tilting movement therein, as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12.

The contact of the impression member C with the printing member D, and its removal therefrom, being controlled, as before explained, by the respective presence and absence of the sheets or other articles to be operated upon, the matter or symbols that are to be imprinted or otherwise formed upon the "sheets or other articles are disposed upon the periphery of the printing member B opposite to and in coincidence with the concentric segmental surface Z of the cam L, while the blank portion of its periphery is in like manner arranged opposite to the concentric segmental surface Z thereof. With the operative and blank surfaces of the periphery of the printing member B thus correlated to the respective concentric segmental surfaces Z and Z on the cam L, the movements of the endless feeding bands E and E are so timed with respect to those of the rock-arm N and printing member B, that each of the succeeding sheets or other articles 00 to be operated upon, as it arrives, will be carried against the strut when the latter is free from the gripping action of the rock-arm N, and be presented to the printing' and impression members in proper. re-

lationship thereto to receive {the imprint or other mark at the required position thereon. To provide therefore for the proper coordination of the movements of the parts to accomplish these results, and, at the same time, to insure of the movements being performed in unison, the printing member B, in addition to being connected with the impression member C through the spur-gears B and C is also connected with the cam F through the intermediaries of gears 0 and 0 with which the cam and the shaft 1) are respectively providedsee dotted lines in Fig. 1. As thus connected the operations of the various parts at the required times in respect to one anothera-re efiected and their cooperation in unison thereby insured, as will be seen.

machine when its operation is desired, various means may be employed. In the form of the'inventio'n shown in the drawings, however, it is transmitted thereto through the For imparting the required motion to the xIJOItlOIl of the stud f and engages with the hub of the cam F To provide for this engagement, when the hand-wheel is rotated in the forward direction, while yet permitting of its disengagement therefrom when rotated in the opposite direction, a slidable bolt f is made use, which, fitted to slide longitudinally in a suitable socket f formed in the hub of the cam, is normally pressed outward therefrom by an'appropria'te spring f and is constructed on its outer end with a tooth or dog f which is adapted to engage with a corresponding tooth or projection on the hub of the hand-wheel, when the handwheel is turned in one direction, and to slide over and disengage itself therefrom when such wheel is turned in the other-see Fig. 1.

lVhile the feeding and guiding of the sheets or other articles to the printingvand impression members are efiecte'd by the conjoint action of the endless feeding bands E and E and side-guides H and H the leading edges of these advancing sheets or' other articles are supported and prevented from bending either downward or upward at or in advance of the place where they encounter the strut M. To this'end, the lower edge of the fixed side-guide H is provided with an inwardly disposed horizontal ledge k of considerable width, which extends from near the rear end of the guide to a position in close relationship to the strut M, when the latter is occupying its vertical position, and cooperates with a presser h". This presser, which is arranged above the path of travel of the sheets or other articles, is constructed with a plane flat bottom surface h and is fixedly secured in place to any convenient part of the machine, as, for instance, to the shaft K with its plane flat bottom surface in parallel relationship to the ledge 7L9 and in close relationship to the upper surface of the sheet or other article beneath it, as shown in Fig. 3. As thus employed not only are the sheets orother articles in passing forward to the strut M supported and prevented from bending downward when acting against the strut M, but they are also prevented from bending action as well.

For inking the type or other matter carried by the printing member B, any of thewell known forms of inkingdevices ordinarily made use of for that purpose may be. employed. In Figs. 3 and 5 however, a v felt roller P, of the usual construction is employed for the purpose, the same being rotatively mounted in a suitable frame P which is adjustably supported upon one of the rods or girths A whereby to be rendered capable ofbeing brought opposite the printing member B to whatever position that member may be adjusted along its supportupward under that ing shaft 6. Similarly, for receiving and collecting the sheets or other articlesafter having been passed between the printing and impression members, any convenient means may be employed for that purpose, as,

for instance, a tray or receiving table Q supported in proper position to receive them, as, for instance, upon another of the tierods or girths A or otherwise.

As thus far described the mechanism is of the form which I prefer to employ in practice. In FigQlS, however, I have shown a slight modification thereof. In this con struction a range of marginal carrying tapes S is interposed between the endless feeding bands E and E and the printing and impression members B, C, and, passing around appropriate pulleys securedto the shaft 6 and thence to and around the impression member C,- or around pulleys coincident therewith, cooperates with a movable stop 8, through or by which the sheets or other articles that have successively tilted and passed the strut M will be arrested in their movements over the impression member in the blank peripheral space on the printing member, until the printing matter or other feeding surface on the printing member bites or grips the successive sheets or other articles as they arrive against the impression member and moves them onward. To permit of these onward movements of the successive sheets or other articles, the stop a at the time they are seized or gripped between the printing and impression members will have been moved rearwardly, to allow of their unobstructed delivery, by a properly shaped cam 8 which is fixedly secured to the shaft Z), whereby to rotate in unison with it and with the printing member B. In being thus fed forward to the printing and impression members, the sheets or other articles, as they are successively moved forward by the endless feeding bands E and E will bepassed wholly upon the tapes S will be.seen, provision is made for the accurate location .of the required imprint or otherimpression at the predetermined place on each of the sheets or other articles acted pon.

Whlle, for the purposes of illustration, a horizontal arrangement of,the mechanism of both forms of construction has been shown, it is to be understood that with slight mechanical, changes a vertical arrangement of the parts maybe employed, if so desired.

Moreover, it is also obvious that, while l have shown and described the best means ber mounted in fixed bearings, an impression States- 1. The combination, with a printing memmember, and a spring pressed pivoted sup portingframe in which the impression member is mounted, of means for adjusting the printing and impression members longitudinally with respect to their supporting shafts, a sheet operated strut for controlling the movements of the impression member toward and away from the printing member, and a feeding mechanism for presenting single sheets or other articles to and against the strut, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a printing member mounted in fixed bearings, an impression member for cooperation therewith, and a spring pressed frame in which the impression member is supported, of a strut loosely mounted in such spring pressed frame and adapted to be tilted by the contact of a sheet or other article against it, a cam and connections engaging the strut to move the impression member out of contact with the printing member, a feeding mechanism and a separator or wiper cooperating therewith to present a single sheet at a time for cooperation with the strut, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a swinging frame, a strut supportedand carried by it,

a swinging arm for cooperating with the upper edge of such strut, and a cam by which a swinging 'movement is imparted to such swingingarm and from this swinging arm to the swinging frame through said strut, of a stud for returning such strut to its normal position after having been tilted therefrom arranged to be carried past and into engagement with the strut as the stud travels in its.

course, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a swinging frame, a strut supported and carried by it, a swinging arm for cooperating with the upper edge of the strut, and a cam by which a swinging movement; is imparted to the swinging arm and from this swinging arm to the swinging frame through said strut, of an oscillating arm, a stud carried by such oscillating arm for engagement with thestrut, and means for bringing this stud into engagement with said strut when carried byit in one direction and for removing it therefrom when carried by it in an opposite direction, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesse this 30th day of June, 1909. a

' FREDERICK G. JAl-IN.

Witnesses:

C. FREDRIK WETGHE,

GRACE T. Biron. 

